


Debut

by Gates_of_Ember



Series: PJO Arranged Marriage/Royalty AU [1]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan, The Trials of Apollo - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Cute Kids, M/M, Will and Nico are children, prince!Nico
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-09
Updated: 2017-08-09
Packaged: 2018-12-13 01:40:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11749446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gates_of_Ember/pseuds/Gates_of_Ember
Summary: At six years old, Will is finally wearing grown-up attire like his father and older brothers and is old enough to attend public events, just in time for his aunt’s inauguration.  But Pluto is cold, his clothes are stiff and itchy, and the long journey in the carriage left Will sore, tired, and grumpy.  Just when Will starts to think that he’ll remain miserable for the rest of his life, his aunt introduces him to someone very special.





	Debut

**Author's Note:**

> And here we have the long-awaited (for those of you who've heard me ramble on about it for the past several months) prologue to the Solangelo Arranged Marriage au!
> 
> I got a little too into the world-building with this au, [so I made this guide you can use as a resource](http://gatesofember.tumblr.com/post/163966365954/solangelo-arranged-marriage-au-guide) if you forget something or I didn’t explain it well in context. If things are unclear, please let me know so that I can do a better job of explaining. I know what’s going on, but sometimes I might forget that you guys don’t know everything I do about this universe!
> 
> Oh, and as a heads up, it might help to know that as a general rule in this au, character names are Greek while location names are Roman (e.g., Hades is King of Pluto, Zeus is Emperor of Jupiter). Words for things I made up come from Latin, so it should be fairly easy to keep track of it all, especially if you know a Latin-based language! If you want some visuals, the setting is inspired by late 17th/early 18th century Europe.
> 
> Update! Check out [this wonderful work of art by pm-patata](https://pm-patata.tumblr.com/post/164855338249/gatesofember-here-is-a-little-fanart-of-little) of baby Will and baby Prince Nico!!

The journey to Venadica had been long and tiring.  Will hated sitting in a coach for longer than twenty minutes, so the weeks he had spent traveling had been miserable.  He’d ridden in the coach with his father and older brothers, Lee and Michael.  Michael had brought cards, so they’d entertained themselves by playing Quadratis for a while before they grew tired of it.  The scenery outside the windows of the coach changed as they left Jupiter and entered Pluto.  The golden fields that Will had seen on the countryside of Diana, his father’s duchy, had turned green as they traveled farther north.  The air became colder as the ground became rockier, and each day was more dismal than the last.  Early in the trip, Will had seated himself beside the coachman and had asked him questions about the new steering mechanisms from Vulcan, but as the weather cooled, Will found himself more interested in being inside even if the carriage was stuffy and crowded.

Apollo, along with occasional help from Will’s brothers, had spent part of the trip advising Will on how to behave when they got to his aunt’s ceremony.  Chiron—who was in the other carriage with Daphne, Will’s step-mother—had already gone over rules of conduct with him, but Will could be forgetful, so he appreciated the review, even if it was very boring.  This celebration would be Will’s first public appearance.  At six years old, he was finally grown up enough to go with his father and brothers and step-mother.  Will was relieved that he’d been given permission to attend the festivities; after all, Will’s aunt, Artemis, was being inaugurated the Matestra.

Artemis was not only a priestess—or _soror_ , as priestesses were more properly called.  Long before Will was born, Artemis had left her younger twin, Apollo, to become the Duke of Diana when she took her Oath and joined the Sorority: the sisterhood of priestesses who served the protogenoi, cared for their temples, and led ceremonies in their honor.  It hadn’t taken Artemis long to be elected Soror Princepa, or high priestess, of Delphi—the most prestigious sororal position in Diana.  In fact, it was the most prestigious sororal position in all of _Jupiter._ She had recently been elected Matestra of the Sorority, which made her the leading authority on all matters dealing with the protogenoi and worship.

Will liked his aunt Artemis.  He regretted that he would not be able to see her as often now that she would be living in Venadica, the headquarters of the Sorority.  Venadica was in Pluto, the northernmost of the three Romanus Terris, weeks away from Will.

Will was sore, cold, and grumpy when they finally arrived in Venadica.  He hadn’t been prepared for the weather; it wasn’t long before Pontonia and the temperature was pleasantly hot in Diana, but it felt like late autumn in Pluto.  Will worried that his aunt would never be able to get warm, but maybe if she was too cold, she’d come back to Diana to be with him.  After all, being Matestra was wonderful, but Will didn’t see any problem with being Soror Princepa of Delphi.

He, his brothers, and his father and step-mother stayed in a guest apartment in the Sororal Palace, while Chiron and the servants had rooms elsewhere.  Their apartment had five bedrooms, one for each of them, connected to a common room.  The Sororal Palace contained many guest apartments for occasions such as this, while the sorors themselves lived in another wing and the consors—non-sorors who trained and studied with sorors and helped the sorors with their duties—had rooms in a separate building.  Currently, some of the most powerful people in the world were gathering in Venadica for the inauguration—Will had heard that King Poseidon and his family were not staying far from them.  Will doubted he would have been invited if the new Matestra had not been his aunt; he was only a natural-born six-year-old boy, and not very important.

Venadica, despite the dreadful weather, was a beautiful city.  The architecture of the palace dated back nearly a hundred years, but the streets were modern; gravel laid over large stones in the ground to keep the streets flat.  All of the sorors wore grey and silver as a sign of their Oaths, while the _puella—_ girls who were in training to become sorors but had not yet taken their Oaths—wore shades of brown.  In some ways, Venadica reminded Will of Phoebus, the capital of Diana, where Will lived with his family.  There were sorors and consors playing music at every corner, or showcasing their latest inventions, discoveries, and artwork at booths along the streets.  Will lost sight of his family a few times when he got distracted by a particularly interesting display, but Chiron always found him quickly.  Chiron knew to expect for Will to be absent-minded.  Will made friends with some of the youngest puella quickly and spent some time playing with them, but Chiron followed him and returned him to his family when he got too far away.

Will didn’t see his aunt until the inauguration, where he and the other members of Artemis’ family sat in designated seats in a balcony overlooking the Square of Aether—a large paved area directly in front of the Sororal Palace.  Each of the three royal and imperial families had their own balconies from which they watched.  The inauguration was followed by a celebration throughout the city, then there was a grand banquet in the dining hall of the palace.  Will spent the meal in silence, trying to behave himself.  His family was seated with Artemis and the families of King Hades, King Poseidon, and Emperor Zeus and even with all the reviews on proper etiquette and rules for conversation, Will was too nervous to speak.  Instead, he focused on using correct manners while eating, being sure to act politely and neatly.  Daphne caught his eye at one point and gave him a slight nod, as if she was trying to tell him he was doing well.

Later that evening, Will found himself sitting alone in the dining hall, resting his chin in his hands and sighing in boredom as a few groups of adults chatted about very important and dull sorts of things.  The rest of the adults were either dancing in the square or playing cards in the next room.  The puella his age had gone to bed by then.  Will probably should have, too, but he hadn’t wanted to leave his Aunt’s celebration.  Will’s older brothers were talking to puella and other guests their own age in the next room over, where they huddled around a table watching four people play a game of Quadratis.  Will wondered how Lee and Michael could stand it, after the rounds they’d played in the carriage; Will was sure he’d feel a sense of dread every time he saw a deck of cards for the rest of his life.  Meanwhile, Austin, who was three, was still in Diana with his governess, as he was too young to attend.  Will was at the awkward stage of being old enough to be present at the celebration with the adults and older children, but too young to really participate.

He’d had fun earlier that day, playing Stones-and-Stems and Wolf-in-the-Pasture with children from around the city.  They were mostly puella or the children of consors living in Venadica, but there were guests like himself, as well.  It had been fun to play outdoors after all that time sitting in the carriage, even though the weather had been terribly cold and Chiron had chided Will for getting dirt all over his clothes.  Will had been ashamed of himself; he’d been determined to act the part of a well-behaved, civilized young man at his first public appearance.  But despite his resolution, Will was devastatingly bored.

Will sighed again and shifted in his seat, trying to keep himself awake.  Maybe he should find Chiron to take him back to his room so he could sleep.  Before he could move, Daphne, who was conversing with a small group of sorors, gave him a sharp look and Will realized he was resting his elbows on the table, so he quickly removed them, sat up with a more polite posture, and ran his hands over the smooth, floral pattern of his purple waistcoat to straighten out the wrinkles.  It was stiff and itchy, but he had to admit that it was beautiful.  Will was still getting used to wearing the more grown-up style of clothing.  Daphne had attempted to tuck back Will’s unruly curls, but to no avail; none of Apollo’s servants were able to tame his hair.  They had at least managed to tie it back so he resembled something similar to a civilized young man.  His jabot had been tied far too tightly around his neck, but he resisted the urge to loosen it, reminding himself to be on his best behavior.

“Will?” said a voice Will recognized as his aunt’s.

“Your Divinity!” Will said in surprise, hurrying to get out of his chair and bow.  He nearly tripped and just barely stopped his chair from falling over.  “My apologies, Your Divinity.”  He bowed again, knowing that he was blushing to the tips of his ears.  His first appearance at a public event was not going well.  Will always ended up flustered when he met with his aunt.  After all, she was the _Matestra._ He worried that he would disappoint her.

Artemis only smiled at him.  She looked stunning; Artemis was the youngest Matestra to ever be elected, and she wore the traditional silver sororal gown with effortless elegance.  Artemis had never needed to try to be beautiful, nor did she care much for fashion.  She was quite unlike the lords and ladies of Neptune Will had seen at the celebration, whose flamboyant sense of style was constantly evolving.  “No need to apologize,” she said.  “Can I not greet my nephew as kin?”

“Yes, Matestra,” Will answered with another bow.  “I’m honored.”

“You may take your seat, Will,” Artemis said kindly as she sat beside him at his table.  Artemis always had been fond of children.  She had inspired many young girls to become puella.  Will had heard rumors that Emperor Zeus’ daughter was intrigued by the idea of taking the Oath.

Will had always admired his aunt Artemis; a part of him secretly desired to follow in her footsteps and become a leader in the Sorority.  However, it was impossible for Will to do so; sorors were always women.  While Will was devoted and permitted to assist and become involved with the Sorority and its mission as a consor, he could not take the Oath.

Will and his siblings received a wonderful education, Chiron made sure of that, but Venadica still intrigued Will, even if it was unbearably cold.  Many young women and some young men travelled to Venadica for a formal education.  Venadica was known as the “City of Enlightenment” for a reason; the best minds in the world journeyed to Venadica to collaborate, study, and discover.  In fact, sorors and consors were sometimes called “venadi”—which meant “hunters” in the ancient language of Pluto—in reference to their search for knowledge.  Venadica itself was named for this pursuit of education, which was was often called “the hunt.”

Will thought he might want to become a consor to join “the hunt.”  Chiron was a consor and an excellent tutor, trained in Venadica just like Artemis.  Maybe Will could become a scholar, a tutor, or a healer, which sounded much more fun than being an earl of some county in Diana.  Plus, if Will moved to Venadica, he’d be able to see his aunt all the time.

Of course, it was a long way from home.  Will wasn't so sure he wanted to leave Diana.  If he already missed his younger brother so much, how would he fare if he wasn't able to see the rest of his family without traveling for weeks in a rickety, uncomfortable carriage?  And then there was the unbearably cold weather of Pluto to consider....

“Are you enjoying yourself in Venadica?” Artemis asked, pulling Will out of his thoughts.

“Oh, I am,” Will answered shyly, then he realized he was kicking his legs under the table and forced himself to stop and scolded himself for not behaving.  “I had fun in the city today.  The puella are very nice.”

“Yes, I’m fond of them, too,” Artemis agreed.  “I’ve always wanted to take you here.  I thought you’d enjoy it.”

“It’s too cold,” Will blurted out, then he blushed and stuttered out an apology.  “I _do_ like it here, though.”

“It is quite cold,” Artemis said with a chuckle.  “Very different from Diana, isn’t it?”

“Yes, and very far,” Will said sadly.  “Will you come home to visit, Your Divinity?”

“From time to time,” Artemis answered.  “I will travel quite a bit now.  Maybe we’ll meet in a new city.  Wouldn’t that be fun?”

“Yes, Your Divinity,” Will said.  “Although I do not like to travel very much.  It is very boring and makes my bum feel sore.”  Will blushed as soon as the words were out and clapped his hands over his face in embarrassment, apologizing to Artemis yet again.

Artemis was laughing, however.  “It isn’t very pleasant,” she admitted, and Will set his hands back in his lap politely, trying to recover and behave in a more respectable manner.  “But for now, what are you doing sitting out here all alone, Will?”

Will felt guilty; Artemis probably thought that Will wasn’t enjoying himself and he didn’t want her to feel responsible as the hostess.  “I suppose I’m just sleepy, and all of my friends have gone to bed.  I didn’t want to be a bother to anyone.”

“You are not a bother to me,” Artemis said with a fond smile.  “Would you like me to help you find Chiron to take you to bed?”

Will almost said yes, but he didn’t want to force her to look after him.  Surely he could manage to find Chiron on his own.

Before he could answer, though, Artemis said, “Or, perhaps I could help you find a friend to accompany for the rest of the evening?”

Will perked up at that.  “But I thought everyone had already gone to bed,” he said.

“There is one boy your age,” Artemis replied.  “He is in the square dancing.  Why don’t you go outside with me for a while?”

Will considered, then he nodded and slipped out of his chair to follow Artemis out of the dining hall.  “His name is Nico,” Artemis told Will as they walked.

“Like the Prince?” Will asked.  He’d been studying the names of important people that would be at the gathering.  Nico was the son of King Hades and about the same age as Will—

Wait.

Oh.

_Oh._

Artemis seemed unaware of Will’s sudden panic and merely lead Will outside with her hand on his shoulder.  Will had never met a prince before; he hadn’t even been introduced to Princess Thalia or Prince Jason of the Juvian Empire, where he lived.  He quickly thought over the instructions Chiron had given him on what to do if he was introduced to someone of a higher rank than his own.

Outside, Aether’s Square was filled with light and music.  An orchestra of sorors was performing while a group danced on the paved stones.  Ordinarily, dances would take place indoors, but too many people had attended Artemis’ inauguration for it to be held inside; the celebration was open to everyone in Venadica and guests from all over the three countries had been invited.

Aether’s Square was beautiful.  There were lanterns on top of posts everywhere, so Will could see everything as clearly as he would if the sun had been up.  Chiron had told him that the square was always well-lit; it was located so that the daylight illuminated it starting at dawn, and the lanterns cast a warm glow when it was dark.  After all, the square had been named for the protogenos of light; the sorors considered it their duty to keep the area bright.

There was a massive fountain in the middle of the square depicting a scene from the aftermath of the famous battle between the protogenoi and their traitorous children, the titans.  Sculpted in the center of the fountain, the likeness of Gaea, protogenos of the earth, held the dying body of her daughter, Rhea: the only titan who had remained faithful to the protogenoi.  The story frightened Will’s younger brother, Austin, but Will thought it was beautiful.

Artemis stopped before the group of dancers and told him they would wait until that set had ended.  The formal dances that always started celebrations had already finished, and now there were more casual group dances.  Will preferred the group dances; they always seemed more lively.  Men and women danced, trading partners and meeting new faces while music filled their ears and the beautiful twirl of skirts mesmerized Will’s eyes.

“His Highness is on the other side of the orchestra, at the fountain,” Artemis told him, and suddenly Will’s anxieties were back.  He’d forgotten who Artemis was planning to introduce him to when confronted with the beauty of the square.

“Your Divinity, is it proper for me to meet His Highness?” Will asked nervously.  “Do I have permission to speak to him?”

“Certainly,” Artemis said, giving his shoulder a reassuring squeeze.  “I am introducing you.  I know His Highness quite well; I have served the royal family on more than one occasion.  His Highness is an amiable young man; I think you will get along.”

Will didn’t know what “amiable” meant, but he felt reassured nonetheless.  When the dance ended, Artemis started to lead Will towards the fountain, but they were stopped by Will’s father.

“Your Divinity,” Apollo said with a polite bow to his sister.  “So you were with my son!  I was looking to ask you to join me in the next set of dances, but it appears you’ve already found a partner.”

Artemis scoffed good-naturedly.  “Are you neglecting your wife, brother dear?” she teased.

Apollo’s lips pursed, losing the good humor he’d had just a moment before.  “She is otherwise occupied.”

Artemis gave Apollo a look that Will didn’t understand, then she turned back to Will.  “I’m taking Will to meet Prince Nico,” she explained.

“Prince Nico?” Apollo repeated.  “Well, then, take Elpis with you, Will.  Act politely and you’ll do wonderfully.”  He looked at Artemis and said, “This is quite an honor you are giving my son.  Thank you.”

“Of course,” Artemis said, squeezing Will’s shoulder fondly.  “I’ll always look after my nephews.  Pardon me for a moment and I’ll return so I may accompany you for the next dance set.”

“Then I shall wait.  May the moirai smile on you, Will.”  Apollo bowed to his sister again before disappearing into the crowd.

Apollo likely meant to inspire confidence in Will, but he’d really done just the opposite.  He nearly jumped out of his skin when Artemis patted his back and started to lead him towards the Prince again.  Will had been prepared to talk to people of a higher status; he knew that as the family as the Matestra, he would be near the royal and imperial families.  However, Will had not been prepared to be personally introduced to the Prince of Pluto.

Artemis brought him to where a dark haired boy was sitting on the low wall around the fountain, watching as the dancers reassembled.  Will’s immediate thought was that he looked like a lively young man.  The Prince was smiling while he admired the dancers and the light from the lanterns sparkled in his dark eyes.  His legs were swinging back and forth, heels clacking against the wall in time with the orchestra.  He was dressed similarly to Will, but his clothes had a more Pluton style; the waistline was higher and the fabric looked heavier, and the outfit was far more radiant than Will’s.  The brocade was green with gold accents and the buttons on his waistcoat were impeccably polished.  He was quite pretty; his face was lovely and his expression was pleasant.  He had sharp, regal features like his father, King Hades, but he wore them entirely differently.  He looked bright and handsome rather than strict and serious.  Will had seen the Prince earlier that day, of course, but only from afar; he’d seen the royal and imperial families at the inauguration and he and the Prince had been at opposite ends of Artemis’ table during the banquet.  He looked less threatening than Will expected; in fact, he looked quite friendly.  And yet, Will felt intimidated.  Nico was still a prince.  He was dressed much more beautifully than Will, his hair was in place, and he looked perfectly at ease, while Will felt like he was going to shake right out of his breeches.

“Your humble servant, Your Highness; I hope you find this evening agreeable,” Artemis greeted when they reached the Prince.  She bowed and Will quickly followed suit.

“I wish you a good evening, Matestra!” the Prince said with a wide grin.  “I hoped I’d see you tonight!  Could we play a game of Acies later?”

“Of course, Your Highness,” Artemis answered.  “We’ll play tomorrow; it has gotten far too late to start tonight.  Besides, I would like to introduce you to my nephew.”  Artemis put her hand on Will’s back and urged him forward, as he’d been lingering slightly behind her, fidgeting nervously.  “Your Highness, may I present William, son of my brother Apollo, Duke of Diana.”

Will’s bow wasn’t low enough or long enough and he stumbled over his words when he said that he was honored to make the Prince’s acquaintance.  The Prince cocked his head to the side as he looked Will up and down curiously, then he grinned again.  “How do you do, William?  May I call you Will?”

Will nodded.  “Indeed, Your Highness, whichever you please,” he said, trying to sneak back into the comfort of his aunt’s shadow.

Artemis put her hand on his back to prevent Will from hiding.  “Then with your permission, Your Highness, I will take my leave.  I promised my brother a dance.”

Nico nodded, then Artemis bowed and gave Will a smile before she left Will with the Prince.  Nico looked Will over again with the same curious expression as before.  “Why are you all alone?” Nico asked.  “Have you no friends?”

Will was going to explain that his older brothers were busy and his younger brother was in Diana, and everyone else had gone to bed, but he was still so nervous that he only managed to shake his head.

“No need to worry; I can be your friend,” Nico said.  He patted the space next to him on the edge of the fountain.  “Come sit with me.”

Will nodded and tentatively walked over to the price before hoisting himself up on the wall.  He tried to keep his posture right, but Nico was leaning back on his hands, swinging his legs like he didn’t care about showing proper etiquette.  Will wished _he_ could be that brave.

“You see that girl there in the green gown?” Nico said, pointing to the dancers.  A few children older than Will and Nico were dancing off to the side of the square, mimicking the steps that the adults took.  “She is my sister, Bianca.  Did you know that Bianca is the best archer in Pluto?  She won this year at the Rhegalia archery competition for young archers.  She told me that she wants to be in the Sorority but I don’t want her to be a soror because if she’s a soror I won’t be able to see her as often.  So I told her, ‘Oh, no, Bianca, that won’t work; you’ve got to be the queen.’  You know, during Rhegalia, Bianca gave me this ring as a gift.  She commissioned it from a silversmith in Vulcan, isn’t that amazing?”  When he held out the ring for Will to examine, Will nodded in appreciation and smiled, not quite sure what the right thing to say was.  He didn’t want to embarrass himself in front of Prince Nico.

Nico, however, didn’t seem to mind, and he kept talking.  “And see the boy in blue next to Bianca?  That’s my friend Prince Percy.”  Nico broke off with a giggle.  “Did you know Percy can sail?  He has a boat!  I like boats, especially the big ones.  Do you like boats?”  Will nodded—boats did seem amazing now that he’d heard Nico talk about them—and Nico cocked his head to the side.  “You’re very quiet,” Nico observed, but Will was unable to get a word in before Nico started talking excitedly again.  “Did you know that in ancient Pluto, they cut out people’s tongues if they were bad so they couldn’t talk?  Isn’t that _wonderful?_ Do you have a tongue?”  Will nodded and promptly stuck it out to demonstrate, then he quickly drew it back into his mouth and blushed, stuttering an apology for his behavior.  But Nico was giggling and he stuck his tongue out at Will, too.  Will stifled a laugh behind his hand.  Sticking your tongue out wasn’t terribly rude, but it was quite absurd.

“Say, have you ever played Acies?” Nico asked.  “I just started.  It’s quite a delightful game, you know.  My tutor is teaching me.  It’s just like a _real_ battle!  I wish _I_ could be in a real battle, but my tutor tells me I can’t have any weapons.  My sister gets to play archery, but no one lets me play.  Bianca is getting a new set of Acies figurines made for me.  Did you know that if you have a praetor and a centurion with the same color gemstone on one tile, they receive a bonus making their combined power equal _two_ praetors?”

Will shook his head.  He’d seen people play Acies, but he never joined in; it was a very complicated game.  Will wasn’t able to keep the rules straight and he could never focus on the game long enough to finish a round.  After a devastating loss that had occurred in under ten minutes, Chiron had merely sighed and told Will he’d teach him to play when he got a bit older.  Will wondered how Nico was able to remember all the rules or sit through an entire round; he must be very clever to be so good at it.  Maybe he’d ask Chiron to try teaching him again when they got back to Diana.

“My new figurines will be made of black marble this time,” Nico went on.  “I had a wooden set before.  Anyway, what games do you like to do?  Do you like cards?  I love Quadratis.”

“Um, well, I am bored of cards,” Will admitted.  “I played them too much.”

“Really?  You can get bored of cards?  Then I should play them less often; I don’t want to get bored of cards.  You know, when I get older, I’m going to learn to play Belli.  My tutor says I’m too young for that game and it’s too difficult for me, but _I_ don’t think so.”

“I like to play Wolf-in-the-Pasture,” Will piped up, thinking himself very brave for adding to the conversation.  He liked listening to Nico talk and he wanted to say something interesting, too.  Maybe he’d even impress Nico.

Nico looked puzzled.  “What’s that?” he asked.

Will was shocked that Nico had never gotten to play, but he politely explained the rules.  It was a game children liked to play outside in the summer, when one child would be the “wolf” who had to catch the other children, who were the “cattle.”  When the “wolf” caught a “cow,” that “cow” became a “wolf,” too, and that went on until all the “cattle” had been caught.

“That sounds _amazing!”_ Nico said.  “We should play!”

“Oh, well, you need more than two people,” Will explained.

“That’s okay!   _You_ might not have friends, but _I_ do.  I will share them with you.  Follow me!”  Nico jumped off the wall and gestured for Will to hurry up.  He led Will to the children who were dancing in the square and, without hesitating to interrupt, he grabbed Bianca’s sleeve and tugged on it.  “Bi, listen!” he said.

The Princess missed a step in the dance and looked at her brother in irritation.  “Nico, I said I’d dance with you the next set,” she said.  “I promised Thalia first.”

“This is more important,” Nico said.  “Percy!  Jason!  Come listen!  My new friend Will has a game!”

Will suddenly found himself being stared at by three princes and two princesses while he stumbled through his explanation of how to play Wolf-in-the-Pasture.  Nico rocked on the balls of his feet excitedly as Will spoke, which Will found quite distracting.  He found himself blushing at all the attention he was getting.  Will didn’t enjoy being the object of everyone’s focus; he preferred to leave that to his older brothers while he stayed in the background with Austin.  However, Will _did_ like the delight on Nico’s face when he nodded along as Will spoke, looking like he was very proud of the new friend he’d found.  

Nico insisted on being the wolf.  The others—Bianca, Thalia, Percy, and Jason—agreed without bothering to argue.  Will got the feeling that Nico usually took the lead when it came to games.  Percy said he knew a place that was less crowded where they could run around together.

Will had always been good at Wolf-in-the-Pasture; he was a fast runner and was usually the only cow left at the end, or, if he was the wolf, he’d catch the cattle quickly.  But usually, Will played during the day wearing much more comfortable clothing.  Will was counting on his usual speed to impress Nico, but he stumbled on a bit of uneven paving and Nico caught him by smacking his arm, then he laughed and said, “Now you're a wolf, too!”

Will shook off his mortification at having been caught so quickly when he saw how happy it made Nico, so he just smiled and nodded when Nico said, “Now you go get Jason!”

Thalia ended up being the last person to be caught; Will was proud to say that he had been the one to get to her in the end.  Nico beamed at Will in pride when the game was over and said, “You’re very fast, even if you are quiet.  How did you get so fast?  Did you let me catch you?   _I_ want to be fast.  Are you fast because you don’t talk much so you keep all your breath for running?”

Will wasn’t sure how to respond, so he just smiled and said, “I enjoy running.”

“What about dancing?” Nico asked.  “Do you like to dance?  I like to dance.  Come dance with me!”  He took Will’s hand and called out to the others to follow him back to the musicians, where the six lined up to take part in the next dance.

Will had taken dance lessons, of course, but he forgot nearly all the steps when the music began.  He apologized when he almost stepped on Nico’s foot, then Nico frowned at him and said, “Don’t you know how to dance?”

“Yes, Your Highness,” Will answered, his eyes focused on their feet.  “I...I forgot how this one goes.”

“That’s no matter,” Nico said cheerfully.  “I can help you.  Bianca and I like to dance together, so I’m very good at it.”  Nico _was_ good at it.  In fact, there didn’t seem to be much that Nico wasn’t good at.  “See, fifth position, slide to fourth position, slide to third position, back to fifth.  Not so hard, is it?”

“No, Your Highness,” Will agreed, following along with Nico’s steps.

“Do you dance minuets?” Nico asked.

“I am learning,” Will replied.

“I love minuets.  Bianca and I practice the minuet together.  No, no, Will, that’s second position.  See?”

“Yes, of course, Your Highness.  My apologies.”  Will looked up at Nico and blushed.  They were about the same height, their bodies an appropriate distance from one another but still very close.  It suddenly occurred to Will that he had physically touched a _prince_ a few times that evening, and he wondered if there was some rule against that.

Nico smiled brightly, his dark eyes glinting in the lantern light.  “You’re doing well,” he said, and Will forgot all about his concerns.

“Thank you, Your Highness,” Will said, flushing darker.  “You are very talented.”

“Yes, I practice quite often,” Nico repeated.  “If you practice, you can be good, too.”

Will nodded.  “I will, Your Highness.”

“Good.”  Nico nodded.  “Next time, we can dance a minuet.”

Will voiced his agreement without putting much thought into it.  He didn’t know when he would see Nico next, so he made a promise to himself to learn to dance a minuet when he got back to Diana.  He’d have to learn to play Acies so that they could play a round, too.  He’d talk to Chiron about it the next chance he got.

The dance ended and Nico scurried to steal his sister from Percy for the next dance, leaving Will without a partner.  Will stepped to the side quietly to wait, unable to ask any of the others to dance.  After all, they were princes and princesses, all older than he was.  He could not be the one to ask them to dance.

Will stood by alone, watching Nico and his sister dance in admiration.  The Princess was a much more skilled partner than Will and Nico kept up with the steps easily.  The siblings looked beautiful, with Bianca’s skirts fluttering and Nico’s laughter ringing in the air, their feet moving in perfect synchrony like they knew each other’s movements as well as their own.  Will wished _he_ could dance like that.

“Well, nephew.  It seems your evening was a success.”

Will nearly jumped out of his shoes when Artemis appeared next to him.  “Um, good evening, Your Divinity,” Will said sheepishly, suddenly becoming aware of the fact that his shoes were no longer shining, his clothes were wrinkled, and his hair was poking out of its tie.  Will brushed off his coat and shuffled his feet in shame.  “I was playing,” he offered in explanation.

“I can see that,” Artemis said, looking slightly amused.  “Chiron is taking your brothers to bed.  Would you like me to escort you to your room?”

Will glanced back at Nico and Bianca and the others, then said, “Can’t I bid His Highness goodnight?”

“Of course you may,” Artemis replied.  “I believe they will be taken to their rooms shortly, as well.  It is very late.”

“Thank you, Matestra,” Will said, playing with his sleeves nervously.  “I have behaved myself very well.  We are friends now.”

“I never worried,” Artemis said as the dance drew to an end.  Patting his back, she said, “Go on, Will.  Say your farewells.”

Will nodded and hurried over to the Prince when the music came to a close and bowed in greeting.

“Oh, Will, would you like to share the next dance?” Nico asked cheerfully.

“I....” Will glanced over to his aunt for guidance.  She had said it was time for bed, but it would be rude to turn down the Prince.  Artemis smiled and waved her assent, so Will turned back to Nico and said, “I would be honored, Your Highness.”

Will stumbled and shuffled and tottered through the steps as Nico reminded him where to move his feet, feeling very embarrassed, but mostly happy.  Will usually wasn’t a bad dancer, but he was so nervous that his feet wouldn’t do what they were supposed to.  But when Nico merely laughed every time Will lost his footing, Will laughed, too.

He was sad when the dance set ended, but he bowed to Nico and said, “Thank you for dancing with me, Your Highness.  I regret that it is late and I must take my leave.”

“I had a pleasant evening,” Nico said.  “Thank you for the new game, and be sure to learn to dance better for next time.”

“Yes, I will.  I bid you a good night, Your Highness.”

“A good night to you as well,” Nico said.  He held out his hand, palm facing down, and Will faltered for a moment before bowing and kissing the back of it.  He’d seen his father and mother being greeted that way, so he didn’t think he did anything wrong, but Nico giggled at him when he stood back up.  “Farewell, Will.  May Aether light your way.”

“And may Ouranos look on you kindly,” Will replied, and with another bow, he left Nico to return to his aunt.  Artemis looked pleased when she put her hand on Will’s shoulder and guided him back inside the Sororal Palace.

“It seemed to me that you enjoyed His Highness’ company quite a bit tonight,” Artemis observed as they climbed the staircase to the east wing.

“Oh, yes, Your Divinity,” Will answered.  “Many thanks for introducing me to His Highness, Matestra.”

“It was my pleasure,” Artemis said with a smile, her eyes looking thoughtful.  When they made it to the floor where his family was staying, Artemis added, “You would make a good friend for His Highness.”

“I hope I will be able to meet him again someday,” Will said.

“Yes,” Artemis agreed pensively.  “I hope for it, as well.”  She smiled and placed a hand on Will’s shoulder when they stopped in front of the door to Will’s family’s chambers, then she leaned down to look at him eye-to-eye.  “And I hope you’ll come to visit me here in Venadica every so often.  It may be very far and very cold, but I think you’ll find that the City of Enlightenment has much to offer a bright young man like yourself.”

“Do you mean...I could be a consor?” Will asked, his chest fluttering with warmth at the thought.  He could study in Venadica?  He would be able to see his aunt all the time and grow up to be bright like Chiron, and then, perhaps, he could be a tutor for Lee and Michael’s children.  He could be a healer.  He could be a philosopher.  If he became a consor, he’d be able to do nearly _anything._  Even learn to dance a minuet and play Acies.

“Give it some thought,” Artemis replied.  “Sleep well, nephew.  We will say our farewells tomorrow, but I don’t believe the moirai will keep us apart for long.”


End file.
